William potteb



CREEPER DEVICE FOR SHOES Filed 18.11.11, 1927 Z zz v Z6 I lNVE TOR 24 w: 07727? Z5 C W r Patented Jan. 10, 1928.

. structed as N TED STATES eme POTT R; or N'Ew YORK, 11. Y.

' GREEPER DEVICE FORSEOES.

Application filed'January 11, 1927. Serial No. 160,367.

This invention relates to what is known as creeper devices for usein connection with shoes, and particularly'the heel structure of a shoe to prevent slipping orsliding of the feet on slippery oricy pavements, roadways andthe like; and the object of the invention is-to provide a device of the class specified provided with one or more resiliently sup ported prongs adapted to be projectedbeyond-the lower face of the heel of a shoe to engage a slippery or'icy surface to prevent the slipping of the feet, said prongs having sufficientresiliency to provide for comfortable walking,;--and yet engage the slippery surface sufficiently to prevent slipping; a further object being to provide means for moving the prong or prongs into operat ve and inoperative'position andfor retaining thesame in inoperative position, said means comprising, in one inethod of carrying my invention into effect, a hail-like member adapted to be placed within the instep por tion of the shoe when the device is in inoperative position and to encircle the heel of theshoe when the device is'in operative position; "a further *object being to provide means for supporting the device in conned tion-with the heel of a shoe; and with these sists in a device of the class and for the purpose-specified,which is simple in construction, eflicient in use, and which is conhereinafter described and claimed.

"The invention is fully disclosed in the.

following specification, of which the 'accom panying drawing forms a part, in which'the separate pa'rts of my improvement are designated: by suitablereference characters in;

each of the views, and in which: e

1 Fig.1 1 is a side view'of a part of a shoe showing one of my improved devices mounted in connection therewith and ininoper-a tive position. p Y a vFig. 2"is a view similar to Fig.1[but showin%the device in; operative position.

- rig. 3 1s'a part1 lsectionon the 111163 3 of'iFig. 2. 1 l

showing aslight modification.

.;:.Fig; 4 is a view similar to Figq-2 but Fig.5isabottom plan and sectional view of the structure'as seen in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a bottomplan and sectional view of the heel portion of a shoe and showing a modified form of attachment; and,

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7--7 of In the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, I have shown a keeper device comprising a bail-like member 10 fashioned from a heavywire or rod into yoke formation, preferably of such" dimensions as to' encircle the rear portion of-the heel ll of a shoe. The ends'of the wire from which the member 10 is formed" are curled about screws or other attaching devices'12 to form springs.

part of the heel-structure. It is also to be noted that the prongs 14 are arranged rear wardly of the screws 12 so that in the process ofwalking' when the device is in use, the prongs may spring backwardly as indicated inFi'g. 2;of the drawing, as the heel of the shoe comes in contact with the surface over which the shoe passes. This re'sultis accomplishedfby the spring-13 employed, and it -will be-apparentthat the prongs 14 will be-forced into the ice'or other slippery surface sufficiently to definitely fix the shoe and prevent sliding or slipping. The prongs 14 function as spikes as will be apparent.

It will beunderstood that the device may be' attached to a shoe heel of any kind or class and by -any-suitable devices. When used .in connection with a rubber heeled shoe,-I prefer to employ a tube 15 which is seated within the recesses formed on the adjacent faces of the heel 1'1 proper and the rubber heel facing 11, the tube 15 having a reinforcement of" convas' or other material 15. In practice, the screws will pass be tween the adjacent faces of. the flattened tube 15; and the threads thereof engage the canvas 15 to securely'retain the "screws against displacement. It will beunderstood that the heel facing 11 will be secured to the heel proper in the usual or any desired manner. I

I also preferably mount a pin or screw AT- mmet M '16 on one side of the heel 11 in such position as to engage one of the prongs 14.- when the bailmember 10 is swung into the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing or beneath the instep of the shoe inorder to retain the creeper attachment against accidental displacement when in inoperative position. The device will be supported in ment with the member 10 with the heel of the shoe. H v k p I In Fig. 4E of the drawing, I have shown a slight modification wherein the spring 13 of the device is curled upon pins or studs 17, riveted to attaching plates 18, the plates 18 being of substantially L-formation and provided at their respective ends with prongs 19 and 19 adapted to be driven into the shoe heel in securing the plates thereto. Said plates are provided with outwardly extending bodies 20 to take the place of the pin or screw 16 in connection with which the prongs 1'-l will operate to support the device in inoperative position, as will be apparent. The device may be employed in connection with a solid or all leather heel 11 or a combination leather and rubber heel similar to that. At this time, I also call attention to the fact that my invention.

is not limited to use in connection with heels of any particular form and construction, it being understood that the attachment will be constructed or designed to suit the particular type of heel in connection with whichthe same is employed.

In Figs. Sand 7 of the drawing, I have shown another modification wherein a single prong or spike 21 is mounted upon a shaft or rod 22 by curling the wire from which the prong 21 is formed in the ,manner of a spring 23 on said rod. In this form of construction, the rod 22 is mounted between the heel 24L proper and the facing member 24 thereof, which may be composed of rubber, and the rod is keyed in place and against displacement by an en larged collar 25, the rod and collar seating in recesses on the adjacent faces of the parts 24 and 24:, and said rod extending through one side of the heel structure and provided with an annular stock 26 by means of which the same may be rotated by the use of a key or other device. The prong 21 operates in a recess 27 opening through the lower face of the heel or the part 24 thereof so that the prong 21 may be moved into a position to project below the lower face of the heel or be moved into an inoperative position as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6. Sufficient friction will be provided be tween the rod 22 and its support to retain the same in its different positions. Aside from the specific structure employed, the prong 21 will function in the same manner as the prongs 14. and will prevent the slip ping or sliding of a shoe over a slippery surface.

As above stated, one of the distinctive features of my invention is to provide a creep-er attachment, the projecting prong or spike of which is resiliently supported, in order to provide comfortable walking, and

-yet presenting there'quired gripping means operative position by the tensional engagefor preventing the slipping of the shoes when traversing an icy or slippery pave ment. It will be understood that my improved attachment may be mounted in connection with footwear of any kind or class,

V and regardless of the material employed in.

the construction thereof.

IVhile Ihave shown certain details, of construction for carrying my invention into efiect, it will be understood that I am not Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is: I

1. A creeper device of the class described fashioned from a wire strand coiled to form a spring, one end of which extends to form a spike orprong, a pin-like member on which said spring is mounted, and means whereby when the prongis extended for use, the same may yield under the weight of the wearer.

'2. A creeper device comprising a yokeshaped body adapted to encircle the rear portion of the heel of a shoe when the device is in use, the ends of said body being curled, into spring members, said spring members being mounted on pin-like bodies and the ends of said spring members extending. to form prongs which project beyond the lower face of the heel of the shoe when the device is in operative position.

3. A creeper device comprising a yokeshaped body adapted to encircle the rear portion of the heelof a shoe whenthe deviceisrin use, the ends of said body being curled into spring members, said spring members being mounted on pin-like bodies and the ends of said spring members extending to form prongs which project beyond the lower face of the heel of the shoe when the deviceis in operative position, and mean'sinvolving said pin-like bodies for coupling the device to the heel of a shoe.

at. A creeper device comprising a yokeshaped body adapted to encircle the rear por-' tion of the heel of a shoe when the device is in use, the ends of said-body being curled into spring members, said spring members being mounted on pin-like bodiesand the ends of said spring members extending to form prongs which project beyond the lower face of the heel of the shoe when the device form prongs.

6. In a device of the class described, a yoke-shaped body fashioned from a strand of metal, the end portions of which are coiled to form spring members, the ends of said body extending from said spring members to form prongs, said prongs being arranged angular-1y with reference to the plane of said yoke-shaped body and being movable relat-ively thereto through said spring members.

7. In a device of the class described, a yoke-shaped body fashioned from a strand of metal, the end portions of which are coiled to form spring members, the ends of said body extendingfrom said spring members to form prongs, said prongs being arranged angularly with reference to the plane of said yoke-shaped body and being movable relatively thereto through said spring members, and attaching devices passed through the spring members of said device for mounting the same in connection with a shoe.

8. In a device of the class described, a yoke-shaped body adapted when in use to encircle the rear portion of the heel of a shoe, the ends of said body having prong members adapted toextend beyond the lower tread face of the heel when the device is in use, and the ends of said yoke-shaped body being pivotally supported in connection with the shoe.

9. In a device of the class described, a

yoke-shaped body adapted when in use to encircle the rear portion of the heel of a shoe, the ends of said body having prong members adaptedto extend beyond the lower tread face of the heel when the device is in use, said body having spring properties, and said body being pivoted to a shoe structure and being adapted to be swung forwardly beneath the arch of the shoe when in inoperative position.

10. In a device of the class described, a

yoke-shaped body adapted when in use to encircle the rear portion of the heel of a shoe, the ends of said body having prong members adapted to extend beyond the lower tread face of the heel when the device is in use, said body having spring properties, and said body being pivoted to a shoe structure and being adapted to be swung forwardly beneath the arch of the shoe when. in inoperative position, and means for retaining said body in inoperative position.

' In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name this 8th day of January 1927.

WILLIAM POTTER. 

